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WATCHFUL SKIES, SAFER NIGHTS: AI-DRIVEN VMS TRANSFORMING GULF MEGA-EVENTS

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Close-up view of a person wearing a black outfit with a gold necklace, standing in front of a blurred background showing multiple video surveillance screens in a control room environment

As the Gulf’s summer calendar fills with concerts, sporting events, and festivals, the region faces new and more complex security challenges. Managing crowd safety at large-scale public gatherings no longer depends on passive surveillance or security teams monitoring screens reactively. Instead, event organizers, law enforcement agencies, and technology providers are embracing AI-powered, integrated video management software (VMS) that helps security teams spot and address potential risks early, instead of only reacting after something goes wrong.

This evolution in surveillance comes at an important time for the region. From Dubai’s Disney on Ice, Lil Baby’s Wham World Tour, and the UNTOLD Dubai Festival at Coca-Cola Arena to Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Season concerts, international sporting tournaments, and mega entertainment festivals, large-scale spectacles have emerged as cornerstones of the Gulf’s rapidly expanding tourism and leisure economy. In 2024 alone, Dubai welcomed 18.72 million overnight visitors, up 9% from the previous year, while Riyadh and Jeddah continue to post record event attendance.

But as visitor numbers climb, so too does the complexity of keeping these spaces secure.

For years, video surveillance largely served as a passive, forensic tool by capturing footage for later review. Today, advanced VMS platforms are changing that model. AI-powered analytics embedded directly into VMS systems can automatically monitor crowd density, spot unusual movement or congestion, and raise alerts when early signs of trouble appear. This proactive approach transforms how security teams operate, allowing real-time interventions that help reduce risks while improving crowd flow and overall visitor experience.

Multiple Technologies brought together

At major venues across the Gulf, this shift is well underway.

Consider a sold-out concert at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena. Thousands of attendees filter through multiple entrances, while drone surveillance monitors crowd flow around parking areas and public transport hubs. Inside, thermal cameras quietly scan for signs of overheating electrical equipment or early-stage fires. All these data streams feed into a mobile command center, often set up in temporary trailers near the venue, where security teams and public safety agencies collaborate in real-time.

The advantage is not just faster incident response, but smarter prevention. AI-powered analytics embedded in Milestone’s platform can automatically count attendees in critical areas, flag unusual movement patterns, or detect crowd density risks long before they escalate into safety issues.

This type of command structure has become increasingly important as summer temperatures and high humidity, and seasonal surges, add an additional layer of risk for both attendees and emergency response teams.

A Region That Moves Fast and Safely

The wider regional momentum behind these events is just as significant.

The Gulf’s appetite for mega-events shows no sign of slowing. Dubai International Airport processed 92.3 million passengers in 2024, its highest annual traffic ever recorded, while major Saudi airports continue to scale operations under Vision 2030. These same smart infrastructure principles are now being extended to public events.

Open-platform VMS technology fits naturally into these ambitions, offering a flexible backbone that can scale from one event to another, integrate with emerging analytics tools, and support the kind of cross-agency cooperation that large public gatherings increasingly require.

The New Normal for Event Safety

Event organizers, venue operators, and government agencies across the Gulf are now approaching security not as a series of separate systems, but as a fully connected environment. At the heart of this lies open VMS platforms. These provide stakeholders with the ability to overlay venue maps, integrate drone surveillance, plug in temporary thermal sensors, and coordinate multiple responders, all through a shared video management interface, which reflects how the region is redefining public safety as part of its global event leadership.

Ultimately, securing the Gulf’s signature events that boost its tourism will increasingly rely on proactive, AI-enhanced surveillance models. Today, video management is about using real-time intelligence to help protect visitors, keep events running smoothly, and give the Gulf’s major showcases the safe, seamless experiences global audiences expect.

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AI and Data Roles Drive Gulf Hiring Growth: RemotePass report

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Hiring growth in the UAE and Saudi Arabia remains among the strongest globally, at 39% and 26% respectively in 2024–25, but the expansion is increasingly concentrated in a narrower set of roles, according to the RemotePass 2025 Hiring Report.

Data from the report shows outsized growth in specialised roles, with Data Scientist hiring up 43% and AI Product Manager demand rising 37%. The concentration of growth in these functions indicates that organisations are directing hiring investment toward specific capabilities rather than expanding uniformly across all technology roles.

This pattern reflects a shift in regional workforce strategy, with employers increasingly directing resources toward roles that support data-driven decision-making, AI deployment, and product execution, rather than scaling traditional technology teams.

AI and Data Roles Redefine Hiring Priorities

The UAE leads globally in AI hiring growth, rising from 32% in 2023–24 to 48% in 2024–25. The acceleration is among the sharpest recorded in any market and is being fuelled by enterprise AI adoption, fintech automation and large-scale digital infrastructure projects. Saudi Arabia shows a similar direction of travel, though at a steadier pace, as AI talent demand expands across both public and private sectors.

RemotePass Co-founder and CEO Kamal Reggad, said the data shows organisations in the UAE and Saudi Arabia moving decisively from experimentation to execution. AI is no longer confined to innovation teams, he noted, but is increasingly embedded into core business functions, making workforce planning a critical lever of competitiveness.

MENA Talent Hubs Continue to Power the GCC

While demand is strongest in the Gulf, the wider MENA region remains central to meeting it. Egypt continues to lead hiring volume across nearly every major tech role, including software engineering, backend, frontend, data science and QA, confirming its position as the region’s largest tech talent exporter. Pakistan ranks second across several engineering categories, supported by a large and cost-effective developer base.

Egypt’s AI hiring growth, after surging by 112% in the previous year, has stabilised at 28% in 2025. In contrast, Gulf markets have accelerated, reinforcing a regional realignment in which the UAE and Saudi Arabia are emerging as the primary centres of advanced technology hiring, supported by a broader MENA talent ecosystem.

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GCC RESIDENTIAL SMART SECURITY MARKET SET TO ADVANCE AS SCREENCHECK PARTNERS WITH BAS-IP

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A ScreenCheck representative and a BAS-IP representative shake hands in front of a display showcasing BAS-IP intercom and security devices, with two additional team members standing beside them at an exhibition booth.

ScreenCheck, a subsidiary of Centena Group and a key player offering end-to-end identification and security solutions in the Middle East, has signed a strategic partnership agreement with global security technologies company, BAS-IP to officially expand its security and identification capabilities into GCC’s residential security market.

The agreement signed during Intersec 2026, aligns with ScreenCheck’s ongoing efforts to establish a robust position in the rapidly growing smart security and digital transformation market. Currently, the market is projected to reach USD 907.12 billion by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 25.7 per cent between 2025 and 2032. This growth is mainly propelled by large-scale urban development, smart infrastructure investments and surging demand for connected security ecosystems in the residential sector.

Olga Shamilova, Chief Executive Officer at BAS-IP, said: “We are delighted to partner with ScreenCheck and support their entry into this new vertical of security systems. During our participation at Intersec 2026, we witnessed increased interest for our Open API, especially for its ability to create seamless, customised ecosystems and ease to integrate into existing building management systems. Our mobile-first application also received significant attention, as its intuitive interface was proven ideal for both complex multi-apartment projects and luxury private villas. With ScreenCheck’s market expertise in the region and their top tier client base, we look forward to providing a safe and secure environment for communities.”

The collaboration with BAS-IP will address the surging demand from developers for connected home and community security solutions across apartments, gated communities and large residential developments in the region by delivering integrated IP-based audio and video intercom systems combined with access control solutions.

Faisal Mohamed, CEO of ScreenCheck, said: “As cities continue to develop and digital infrastructure becomes an inevitable part of everyday lives, security is equally important for people and systems. We are delighted to work with BAS-IP to serve this evolving market.”

“With the Middle East region experiencing one of the fastest-growing property markets across the globe, our collaboration helps to distribute integrated residential security and home automation solutions. We will be delivering cutting-edge biometric identification, RFID solutions, AI-powered surveillance, and next-generation smart access control to homes, critical infrastructure, and technology-driven enterprises. Our goal is to enable safer, more resilient spaces that highlight the capabilities of the modern security landscape,” added Faisal.

ScreenCheck’s partnership with BAS-IP positions the company at the forefront of the region’s ongoing shift, enabling the delivery of intelligent, connected residential security ecosystems that align with the region’s smart city ambitions and evolving urban landscape.

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VERTIV INTRODUCES NEW MODULAR LIQUID COOLING INFRASTRUCTURE SOLUTION TO SUPPORT HIGH-DENSITY COMPUTE REQUIREMENTS IN NORTH AMERICA AND EMEA

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Isometric 3D rendering of Vertiv prefabricated MegaMod HDX data center module showing integrated liquid cooling skids, power distribution units, racks, piping, and cooling infrastructure arranged within modular enclosures.

Vertiv (NYSE: VRT), a global leader in critical digital infrastructure, today announced new configurations of the Vertiv™ MegaMod™ HDX, a prefabricated power and liquid cooling infrastructure solution engineered for high-density computing environments, including artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) deployments. The new configurations give operators flexibility to support rapidly increasing power and cooling requirements while optimizing space and deployment speed. The models are available globally.

Vertiv MegaMod HDX integrates direct-to-chip liquid cooling with air-cooled architectures to meet the intense thermal demands of AI workloads, supporting pod-style AI environments and advanced GPU clusters. The new compact solution has a standard module height and a maximum of 13 racks and power capacity up to 1.25 MW; the combo solution has an extended-height design with a maximum of 144 racks, supporting power capacities up to 10 MW. Both can support rack densities from 50 kW up to more than 100 kW per rack. The hybrid cooling architectures integrate direct-to-chip liquid cooling with air cooling for efficient, high-density thermal management, while the prefabricated modular designs enable accelerated deployment and allow customers to scale their data centers as demand grows.

“Today’s AI workloads demand cooling solutions that go beyond traditional approaches. With the Vertiv MegaMod HDX available in both compact and combo solution configurations, organizations can match their facility requirements while supporting high-density, liquid-cooled environments at scale. Our designs deliver what data centers need most—reliable performance, operational efficiency, and the ability to scale their AI infrastructure with confidence,” said Viktor Petik, senior vice president, infrastructure solutions at Vertiv.

The Vertiv MegaMod HDX models feature innovative hybrid cooling architecture, combining direct-to-chip liquid cooling with adaptable air systems in a fully integrated, prefabricated pod. The solutions feature distributed redundant power architecture enabling continuous operation even if one module goes offline. Additionally, the buffer-tank thermal backup system allows GPU clusters to maintain stable operations during maintenance or load transitions. This factory-integrated design enables repeatable precision in deployment while providing cost certainty for planning and scaling AI infrastructure.

This prefabricated design, combined with factory integrated and fully tested components and Vertiv’s global service network, provide dependable end-to-end support.

Vertiv’s extensive portfolio of power, thermal, and IT management solutions supports a wide range of data center architectures, enabling customers to meet rising density demands with scalable, high-performance infrastructure. Both configurations draw on this broader portfolio, including the Vertiv™ Liebert® APM2 uninterruptible power supply (UPS), Vertiv CoolChip CDU cooling distribution unit, Vertiv PowerBar busway system, and Vertiv™ Unify infrastructure monitoring.

Vertiv also offers IT rack infrastructure designed to seamlessly accommodate and support IT systems, including Vertivracks and Vertiv OCP- compliant racks, Vertiv™ CoolLoop RDHx rear door heat exchanger, Vertiv™ CoolChip in-rack CDU, Vertiv™ rack power distribution units, Vertiv™ PowerDirect in-rack DC power system, and Vertiv™ CoolChip Fluid Network Rack Manifolds.

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